University of Minnesota, Twin Cities named one of the greenest colleges

May 20, 2011

"Princeton Review's Guide to 311 Green Colleges" recently identified the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities as one of the most environmentally responsible educational institutions in North America. The Princeton Review chose the U of M based on a 2010 of hundreds of colleges to tally its annual "Green Rating" scores. The survey asked colleges and universities about their sustainability-related policies, practices and programs. The 311 schools in the guide received scores of 80 or above in the assessment.

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities was recognized for its strength in sustainability education and in improving sustainability of campus operations. At the U of M, students have the opportunity for classroom and hands-on learning in sustainability. The Center for Sustainable Enterprise Development allows students to learn how to use green business practices while remaining competitive in the market. The university also began one of the first Sustainability Minors in the country, with an ever expanding curriculum including internship offerings and multiple study abroad opportunities. In addition, more than 20 environmentally-focused student groups are actively engaged in the sustainability discussion on campus. On the operations side, the Twin Cities campus continues to improve its 25-year-old recycling program and also focuses on energy reduction through the It All Adds Up campaign, resulting in $2.25 million in cost savings and 25,000 tons in emissions reductions.

The U of M, Duluth has also been listed as one of the greenest colleges.

Created by The Princeton Review in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) (www.usgbc.org), "The Princeton Review's Guide to 311 Green Colleges" is the only free, comprehensive guidebook profiling institutions of higher education that demonstrate a notable commitment to sustainability in their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities and career preparation. For more Information about The Princeton Review's Green Rating system, go to http://www.princetonreview.com/green.aspx.